Fishing-tool for wells.



W. 1. SHELDON R. J. HALSTEAD.

FISHING TOOL FOR WELLS.

APPLICATION mso rss. s. 1915.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

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m u n u w e m W RJHattead mrom UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE( WAR!) J'. SHELDON AND ROLLAND .T. HALSTEAD, OF ELECTEA, TEXAB.

FISHING-TOOL FOR WELLS.

Specification ot Letters ?utent Application filed February 16, 1915. Serial No. 8,621.

To all 'whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that we, WARD J SInLDoN and ROLLAND J. HALBTEAD, citizens of the United States, residing at Electra, in the county of Wichita, State of Texas, have nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing-Tools for Wells; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in well drilling appliances and more particulurly to' an article commonly known as a fishing tool or drill rod grab whereby broken drill ends or other foreign objects may be Conveniently removed from the bottom of a well.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a tool of this character, in which novel means are employed to insure positive action of the gripping portions of the device, said means being operable by gravity upon contact of said portions With the obstruction to be removed, and limited in movement with respect to such portions so as to be at all times in readness to efectually operate and accomplish its purpose.

With the above and other objects of similar nature in View, the invention resides in the novel combination, Construction, formation and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmenta'y sectional View of a well and well casng showing the invention in elevation as being Iowered therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device. Fig. 3 is a View similar t'o Fig. 2 with the parts in their operative position, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectioal View taken on the line 4- 4 of Fig. 3.5 i i e Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the 'evice comprises a shank 10 of steel or othe. desired material that is provided at one end with a tool joint 11 whereby it may be Conveniently connected with the usual raising and lowering cable at present employed in well drilling apparatus. The other end of the shank 10 is recessed as indicated at 12 and has engaged in these recesses corresponding ends of a plurality of resilient grappling fingers 13. The fingers 13, which are Secured to the shank by screws 14 or other suitable means, are bowed outwardly from their point of attachment and termi` nate each in a barbed head, said heads being formed with outwardly'inclined faces 15 and inwardly disposed grppin edges 16.

Slidabl engaged upon the s ank 10 is a heavy cy indrical sleeve 17 and arranged wthn this sleeve are a plurality of spaced inwardly projecting lars 19 fixed to the shank, being engageabl'e by said lugs to limit longitudinal movemiit of the sleeve with respect to the shank. Thus in employing the tool for the purpose of removing a broken drill or the like, the end 11 thereof is engaged ordinary manner and the device then lowered in the casing to the well bottom. The winding drum for the cable is then rapidly reversed to alternately raise and lower the tool until the fingers have come into contact With the broken drill, at which time the weight of the tool and its rapidity of descent will cause said fingers to spread and grip the obstruction between the edges 16 thereof. It is obvious that as the tool moves downward in the casing, the sleeve 17 will be retaned in its raised position, due to'fI-ictonal engagement with the wall thereof, but will by force of gravity, drop suddenly to force and retain the fingers 13 in gri pin position when the latter have engage an grappled the object to be removed. The

then be readily withdrawn from by rewinding the cable upon the quickly released by disfrom the fingersjn tool may the casing drum and the drill engaging the sleeve 17 any preferred manner.

It will be noted that by providing the stop lu s 18 and collars 19, the sleeve 17 will be he d in such position with respect to the shank as to 'be at all times in readiness to quickly operate and efiect a positive gripping action of the fingers 13. It may further be added that the stop lugs 18 project a suflicient distance inwardly of the sleeve 17 to loosely engage the shank 10 and thereby serve to retnin the upper end of said sleeve centered upon the shank.

What is claimed, is

1. A tool of the class described comprising a shank, resilient gripping members at the other end of the shank a apted at one end for connection of Operating means,- a sleeve slidably engaged on the shank and operable by gravity to force and retain said fingers in gripping position, said sleeve be ing outwardly flared at its lower end to friewith the cable end in the stop lugs 18, stop 061 4 tionally engage the wall of a well cas'mg and be held thereby out-of operative postion, and means to limit sliding'movement of the sleeve with respect to the shank.

2. A tool of the class described, comprising a shank, resil'et gripping members at one end of the shank, a sleeve slidably engaged on said shank and Opel-able by gravity to force and reta'n said reslient members in gripping positiomspaced collars fixed to said shank, and inwardly directed lugs arranged circumferentially of the upper end of the sleeve and loosly engaging the shank between the eollars to limit longitudinal movement of the sleeve, the lower end of the sleeve being arranged to swin on said hgs laterally o the shank to frctonall engage the wall of a well casing and be he d thereby'ut; of operative position.

In testimony tures in the presence of two witnesses.

WARD J. SHELDON. ROLLAND J. HALSTEAD. VVitnesses:

S. O..CHAPMAN, Lnsm N. GILLIS.

whereof, we affix our signa-. 

